


Changes

by Skyler10



Series: Changes [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alien Planet, Autumn, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Time, Fluff, Kisses, Loss of Virginity, Pete's World, Romance, Secretly a Virgin, hay rides
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-18
Packaged: 2018-08-20 08:44:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8243348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyler10/pseuds/Skyler10
Summary: Rose and Tentoo go on a date to an alien planet that specializes in fall festival tourism. Little does she know, he has a surprise plan for a significant night together.





	1. Alien Autumn

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One: 
> 
> Rated Teen for kissing and slight suggestiveness. 
> 
> For TPP and Fall Fic Fest: fall on an alien planet. Also worked in the drabble prompt (boisterous) by accident/sheer coincidence. See if you can spot it.

 

For as long as she’d known him, she’d adored the way he got excited about the little things. Their adventures didn’t have to be particularly dangerous or world-saving or important. He was equally as thrilled to discover the galaxy’s best donut as to meet a dignitary. Maybe more so, considering how self-important and boring dignitaries could be.

And today he was excited about something that thrilled her as well: a new planet he’d discovered through his newest hobby, non-temporally restricted ham radio. He could pick up frequencies not only lightyears away, but also from centuries in the future from their life in early 21st century London.

They programmed the young TARDIS for her fifth-ever off-planet excursion and away they went.

“So remind me: ‘s a planet devoted to pumpkin?” Rose glanced up at him as she reached for the next lever in her half of the sequence.

“Not exactly, but close!” He grinned and slammed a button. “Autumn.  Planet Spice! Well, that’s how the TARDIS will translate it for us. Rough translation, but we can’t pronounce its real name with human tongues, so that will have to do.”

“And what’s the climate like then?” She twisted the whirly-bob that would get them out of the vortex.

“Why don’t you go see what she’s picked out for you?” He winked, knowing what she was really asking. She pecked a kiss to his cheek and left him to finish off the landing.

It was autumn at home as well, but the Doctor wasn’t satisfied with Tony’s school’s small family night as their only celebration of the changing season. So when he discovered a transmission of Halloween music followed by a tourism ad, he knew exactly where he wanted to take her the following weekend.

And now the TARDIS wardrobe was supplying Rose with classic fall fashion.

She added the plaid button-up shirt on top of her thin white T-shirt and jeans. The lines of pink matched her Converse shoes perfectly. She grabbed the matching black sleeveless fleeces the TARDIS had laid out for them just in case, unsure of how cold it would be.  

The Doctor had already been in a blue plaid flannel button-up, but it wasn’t until she returned to his side that she noticed just how much they were dressed alike. She tossed him his fleece and sent him a tongue-touched smile.

“Looks like she wanted everyone to know we’re together,” he observed.

“In case I wander off?” she teased.

“One, no wandering off today, Miss Tyler.” He sent her a faux stern glare. “And two, you know very well what I meant.”

She didn’t answer, only granted him a kiss for his flirtation. She tried to make it a quick one, but he pulled her back in and she couldn’t resist. After a minute or two, his hand wandered into her back pocket and squeezed before his brain caught up with his body. This was new, but she didn’t mind in the least. They were making slow progress in their physical relationship, and every step forward both filled her up and left her hungry for more.

He pulled away rather abruptly and bounded down the ramp to hold the door open for her. Still decoding his behavior, she eyed him as she passed. All was forgotten, however, as soon as she stepped onto alien soil.

“Oh, Doctor, it’s beautiful!” She had said it a hundred times before in their travels, but she didn’t mean it any less this time than the last.

Rolling hills extended far as she could see. Most were decked in forests of yellows, oranges, and reds. Golden wheat and corn swayed in the breeze, which carried with it a bite that made them don their fleeces. A lake rippled with the landing of ducks and geese to the left, and music played from a quaint village on the right.

He slid his hand into hers and they took off down the hill they had landed on, following a path toward a dozen or so tents set up near the village. A folk band played on a short wooden stage while a lorry with a flat trailer attached circled the area, which was lined with large round bales of hay.

“Oooo, Rose! A hay ride!” He tugged on her hand. “And cider! And pumpkin carving! And a baking contest! And…”

“Alright, alright!” she giggled. “Slow down there, love. We’ll get to all of them, I promise.”

“Quite right. Only…” He squinted his eyes and concentrated on his time sense, more difficult to do now that he was part-human than it once was. “4:23 p.m. local time. We’ve got two hours until sunset, but we’ll have to use our time wisely.”

She shook her head at his seriousness, but squeezed his hand in anticipation all the same.  

“Where to first?”

* * *

 

The afternoon flew by as they made new friends and joined in the festivities. First, they went on a nature walk through the trees while a guide explained how the leaves had been genetically modified to stay colorful all year long. The Doctor competed in a sack race (and lost), then Rose competed in a bobbing-for-apples race (and won). They picked a bushel of apples to take back to the TARDIS and bought jars of apple butter, fruit preserves, and jam. Storing their purchases in a locker designed for the purpose, they made their way back to the food tents just in time for hot dog roasting and s’mores making over a firepit built and equipped for the task.

The Doctor and Rose filled their plastic plates and settled on a carved-log bench out of the way of the flurry of activity. They ate and murmured silly comments to each other as they watched the other tourists and attendees funnel over to the food tents after a long day of recreation. They had always loved making up stories about the passing crowds, wherever they were. It was one of their old inside jokes that helped them reconnect after being apart for so long. The other people – some humanoid, some not so much – all found a picnic table or bench or perch around the large tent-ringed clearing, thus, the Doctor and Rose’s game fell into silence as they finished their dinner. After a while, he cleared his throat and poked at the marshmallow in his s’more. He noticed his fingertip was getting sticky, so he stuck it in his mouth and licked off the gooey mess, much to Rose’s amusement. He took a deep breath and turned toward her so only she could hear.

“So there’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

“Hm?” Rose asked, biting into her s’more. The Doctor realized this might not be the most romantic of scenarios just quite yet.

“Umm… jack-o-lanterns! We should carve a pumpkin when we get home, Rose! Get Tony in on it too. Though probably not with the carving quite yet, but with the design perhaps. Or paint! Some people paint their pumpkins instead of carving them.”

“Right…” Rose nodded along, knowing him too well to be fooled by his babble. “But really. What were you going to ask me?”

“Look! Over there!” The Doctor inhaled in wonder.

Rose rolled her eyes. “I know what you’re doing and it isn’t going to work.”

“No, seriously. Look! It’s amazing!”

She turned despite her doubts and was shocked at the extraordinary scenery before her.

The pink and golden sunset had lit the trees aflame. Combined with the breeze, the leafy blaze came to life in perfect complement to the brilliant sky.

She snapped a photo with her mobile, but knew it was hopeless. No camera could do it justice. As the sunset softened into twilight, a giant bonfire was ignited in the middle of the clearing. One of the musicians that had been on stage earlier pulled out his guitar and the crowd sang in harmony.

Rose realized she was singing along at the same time the Doctor did. She could see out of the corner of her eye that he was staring. Embarrassed, she stopped and finished off her s’more, formerly forgotten during the stunning sunset. She licked her hands clean and crossed and re-crossed her legs, fidgety under his gaze.

The Doctor leaned in to kiss her cheek and wrapped his arms around her.

“Why did you stop? Please don’t stop,” he whispered in her ear.  

She still didn’t look at him, but with a quick up-turn of her lips and a renewed sparkle in her eye, rejoined the song for the final chorus. When it was over, she pressed her lips together and focused on the dance of the bonfire’s flames. The Doctor just cuddled her closer.

“You didn’t tell me your voice is even more beautiful now. I think this is the first time I’ve heard you sing since we’ve been back together.”

She relaxed into his embrace and confessed, “I didn’t sing a lot before either, though, did I?” She paused as he hummed in agreement. “Yeah, well, Jimmy didn’t think my voice was anything special. He was really awful about it, so I just stopped singing altogether.”

“Rose, he was wrong. So wrong. And probably knew it too. Jealous.” The Doctor nuzzled his nose in her hair. She shivered in delight. She knew these moments of intimacy rarely lasted long with him, so while she treasured every touch, she also braced herself for their boisterous and sudden end.

This time, though, it was a large man in denim overalls and a trucker’s hat that broke them apart. More specifically, his invitation to cider and a hay ride. The thought of a warm drink made her realize how cold it had gotten now that the sun had gone down. Even with her fleece and the bonfire and being held by the Doctor, a hot cup of cider sounded very welcome.

She stood and held out her hand. The Doctor accepted her invitation eagerly, hopping up to stand in front of her, using their joined hands to pull her in for a kiss. They queued to board the trailer with other couples, taking a sturdy, thick blanket when it was offered. The Doctor helped Rose up before climbing in behind her. They found a hay bale with relatively few lumps and settled in.

The Doctor wrapped the blanket around their shoulders, and they snuggled in close, only to be interrupted once again. This time it was for the promised cider. The Doctor held his out for a toast.

“To autumn,” he said simply as she clinked her lidded Styrofoam cup against his.

“To autumn,” she echoed. They tried to drink to complete the toast, but of course, the cider was far too hot still.

“READY!” a voice called out from the driver’s seat of the lorry.

“Hold on tight,” the Doctor warned with a waggle of his eyebrows, knowing the only thing she could possible hold onto with her free hand was his knee next to hers. She did, however, and was glad for it when the trailer jolted forward. They barely managed not to spill hot cider on themselves, though the blanket did slip down their shoulders as the rode.

They had just finished their cider when they got to the furthest spot on the ride away from the village lights. A volunteer came around the trailer to take the empty cider cups and pointed up with a secretive smile. Everyone on the hayride tilted their heads to the sky, and Rose and the Doctor followed along out of curiosity.  

A meteor shower dashed across the sky, burning bright and sure into the darkness, making Rose gasp in wonder.

“They’re sort-of metallic inside,” the Doctor explained. “That’s why these sparkle more than the ones on Delta-Beta-88.”

“Incredible,” she exhaled in awe.  

The Doctor reached around to adjust the blanket from where it had fallen off her. She held the upper corner when he was done and pecked a kiss to his jaw. This him – the metacrisis – had impressed her with his consideration of her. He had always been protective, but this him was so in new ways, looking to not only defend her but to take care of her the way romantic partners do. He told her he loved her in words, too, of course, but it was little things like that that spoke the loudest to the truth of his words.

And made her want him all the more. If nothing else, just to reciprocate the sentiment.

She leaned in to kiss his neck, but the lorry resumed their ride, jostling her against him. They laughed as they bumped along, sometimes intentionally knocking against each other. Eventually, though, the road smoothed out as they approached the village. They calmed and relaxed into each other, and the Doctor began tracing his fingertips lightly against her jeans, just above her kneecap. Rose had never heard of this being an erogenous zone before, but for some reason, even if it was just his gentle touch, she felt her heart flutter. She never wanted the hay ride to end.

It did, of course, with a grand finale of him tossing the blanket into the designated pile, hopping down first, then grabbing her by the waist to lift her down off of the trailer. She barely had time to thank him before others deemed them in the way and climbed down around them. He took her hand and pulled her away from the trailer and its disembarking passengers.

“Let’s get our apples and jars before we head home,” she reminded him.

“Actually, I have a surprise.” He bounced on the balls of his feet, clearly bursting to tell her. “I had them delivered to our cabin.”

“Our cabin?”

He nodded with a hesitant smile.

“That alright? I programmed the TARDIS while you were getting dressed before we landed. She’ll be there with all of our things. I just thought, perhaps, you’d like it. It’s got a fireplace and a bath with the fancy jets and-”

She placed a finger on his lips so she could get a word in to reassure him.

“Sounds lovely. Thank you, Doctor.”

 Pleased at her response, he hummed and pulled her along to a circle of very welcoming cabins with wood smoke curling up from their chimneys.

* * *


	2. No Trick, Only Treats

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> [](http://s280.photobucket.com/user/moonywrites/media/skylers%20graphic%203_zpshojkhtrj.gif.html)  
>    
> 
> 
> Image by @lunaseemoony
> 
> In the months leading up to their trip on the alien planet devoted to autumn, the Doctor has been doing his research on how to move things along in his physical relationship with Rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TPP’s monthly prompt: What do you mean you can’t control when it does this Jake!!!! … AKA the adventures in discovering human hormones

_He took a deep breath and turned toward her so only she could hear._

_“So there’s been something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”_

_“Hm?” Rose asked, biting into her s’more. The Doctor realized this might not be the most romantic of scenarios just quite yet._

_“Umm… jack-o-lanterns! We should carve a pumpkin when we get home, Rose! Get Tony in on it too. Though probably not with the carving quite yet, but with the design perhaps. Or paint! Some people paint their pumpkins instead of carving them.”_

_“Right…” Rose nodded along, knowing him too well to be fooled by his babble. “But really. What were you going to ask me?”_

\-----

It had been a rough eight and a half months for the Doctor. First, he and Rose took a while to settle back into their old routines and familiarity with each other. Only this time they were living in a luxurious flat owned by Pete Tyler, working for Torchwood, and tending to the exponentially rapid growth of the TARDIS coral. With alien tech nicked (with permission! Sort of.) from Torchwood and Rose’s help, the Doctor was able to not only shutterfry more successfully than anticipated but also harness energy of the rift (in London by chance in this universe) to fuel its growth.

Thus, the time and space ship was ready for off-world travel a mere seven months after they returned from Bad Wolf Bay.

It was a very good thing, too. While the Doctor would do anything for his Rose, and she would do the same for him, they were both travelers by nature. Discovery and ambition and exploration were in their blood. And while their work at Torchwood certainly kept the adrenaline pumping, they were deliriously happy to be traversing time again.

Then there was the issue of his human body. Sweating and the lack of respiratory bypass and lower metabolism and such changes were difficult to get used to, of course, but his big Time Lord brain was certainly smart enough to handle the automatic regulation of such things and adjusted well enough. But there was one part of his newly human nature his Time Lord intellect couldn’t help him with.

He ignored it heroically well for the first few months, but as 1) their relationship grew more romantic, 2) the “I love you”s slipped off the tongue more frequently, and 3) their intimacy during waking hours reached unprecedented heights, the huge but single bed in their flat seemed much smaller. Once careful not to touch while under the covers, they now fell asleep cuddling and occasionally even woke in each other’s arms, even when they hadn’t started the night that way.

So far the Doctor had been very lucky to wake up first in such scenarios and get in the shower before she stirred, but he knew it was only a matter of time before she awoke as the little spoon or half-lying on him and would feel how ( _ahem_ ) hard it was for him to adjust to being human.

Surely there was a trick to controlling and preventing it. Being the resourceful genius that he was, he knew he just needed an expert. A man who had been human his whole life. A man who was certain to know what to do about it. A man who could be a best mate and wouldn’t tell anyone. Or at least, wouldn’t make the teasing too unbearable.

That left one man: Jake Simmonds.

The Doctor decided to do the stereotypical human male thing and meet up with his mate at the pub. That would be casual enough, somewhere men talked about manly things, right? Plus the alcohol could only help with the nerves and awkwardness of broaching the subject.

“So, what’s this about then?” Jake asked, sipping the top of his pint.

“Oh, you know,” the Doctor hedged and after a moment of indecision, lightly punched Jake on the shoulder. “Just us human men. Night away from the womenfolk.”

“You know I’ve got a boyfriend, right?” Jake laughed.

“Right. Well. Truth is, I’ve got a problem. One I’ve never had to deal with before in all my 900 years and I need your advice.”

Jake got serious and leaned in, expecting something more along the lines of possible impending intergalactic invasion than what came out of the Doctor’s mouth.

“As a human male, how to you regulate your hormone-driven biological reactions?”

“Sorry?”

“Um…” The Doctor leaned in and mumbled into his beer, “For example, arousal. Just hypothetically! How would a human man go about, well, keeping that under control?”

Suffice it to say, Jake laughed for a solid five minutes. And would continue to burst out in giggles for a long time to come when he remembered it.

When he had recovered, he took in the Doctor’s pleading face and puppy eyes.

“Oh my god, you’re serious? In all your ancient alien life, you’ve never had a stiffie?”

“I could manipulate my body’s systems in ways the human race has only dreamt of, yes. But now, since my physiology has changed… not anymore. So after centuries of studying human anatomy as a medical interest and now experiencing it for myself, I still have one question: How can I make it stop doing what it does when it gets, umm, _excited_. When…” the Doctor trailed off, unsure of how to word it. 

“When Rose is around,” Jake finished for him.

“Oi!” The Doctor blushed a deep pink.

“Someone else then?” he challenged with a cocky smirk, knowing very well what the answer would be.

“Of course not! It’s just Rose and I haven’t--”

“And I just won 20 quid from Jackie, but go on.” Jake’s smirk only grew.

“I can’t do anything to muck up this relationship, Jake. I can’t lose her again. And I need to know, please, just tell me the secret.” The Doctor grew more desperate the longer the conversation went on. He was sure Jake was just holding out on sharing this male knowledge to torture him.

“Why not just shag?” Jake asked before muttering under his breath, “Certainly would be a grace to the rest of us.” 

“What’s that?”

“I said, why not shag? That’s clearly the answer you’re looking for. She wants you; surely you’re not thick enough to be blind to that. And you’re tellin’ me you want her. So do something about it. That’s the best way to deal with a hard-on if you ask me.”

Jake sent the Doctor a knowing, world-wise look worth of Jack Harkness.

“Wait, you’re saying you can’t just turn it off?”

“Well, there’s always less pleasant ways like a cold shower or just ignoring it or taking care of it yourself, as I hope you’ve discovered by now, but keeping it from happening ever? Not really. Just part of being a human male, Doctor.” Jake clapped him on the shoulder like he was welcoming a teenage boy to the realities of manhood. Which, in a way, he was.

The Doctor’s mouth dropped open and something in his eyes turned wild.

“What do you mean you can’t control it when it does this, Jake?!” His outburst was louder than intended, drawing the curiosity of nearby tables. He sank down in his chair and tried again, much quieter this time. “Seriously? There’s no trick?”

“There’s no trick. Only treats.” Jake winked at him and made a lewd gesture.

“Oh now I know you must be related to Jack,” the Doctor mumbled.

“Who?”

“Never mind,” the Doctor dismissed. “But you think we should… How do I even bring it up with her? I’ve not only never _lost_ control like this, I’ve also never done anything about it _in_ control.”

“You’re a virgin? Practically a thousand years and never once?” It was Jake’s turn to be shocked.

“Well, I’ve _explored_ on occasion, of course, so I know how it works. Roughly. But never in the literal, non-solo, with another person, for non-scientific purposes... No.”

“Does Rose know this?” The pity in Jake’s tone couldn’t be hidden.

“I’ve never strictly mentioned it, though she tends to know more than I give her credit for,” the Doctor sighed. “So I wouldn’t put it past her if she’s figured it out by now.”

“Well, mate, I say just go for it. Take her somewhere romantic and see how things go, then maybe tell her you’d like to give it a try. This is Rose, after all, there’s no way she’s going to say no. Probably wondering what’s taken ya so long.” Jake brought his glass to his lips and mumbled, “God knows everyone else is.”

It took the Doctor months to work up the nerve. He spent plenty of mornings “practicing” in the shower, and while she was away with her mum for a girl’s weekend, he even purchased a few boxes of lubricated condoms and found a good fit. He also brushed up on his knowledge of the workings of human female anatomy. He may not be able to give her the expertise of Casanova, but he could at least be well prepared.

Finally, October rolled around and he felt ready. They had slowly been progressing in their physicality, but every time he felt the tell-tale stirring in his pants, he back away before things got too intense or she could feel anything.


	3. One and Only

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> [](http://s280.photobucket.com/user/moonywrites/media/skylers%20graphic%203_zpshojkhtrj.gif.html)  
>    
> 
> 
> Image by @lunaseemoony
> 
> Rose and Tentoo have been enjoying a romantic evening on a planet devoted to fall, and he has just surprised her with a night in a cozy cabin. But she suspects it isn’t just a simple, chaste date like their relationship up until this point. And she’s right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This and the next chapter prompted by not one but two nonnys last month at dwsmutfest asking for virgin!fic  
> This one is just rated mature because it’s all talk, but the next chapter is the explicit one because it has the actual smut. If you want the big reveal but not the sex, read this one and skip the next chapter. ;) Also very, very brief mention of past dub-con.

He never dreamed that Rose held the same fears and inexperience he did. Thus, when the moment came, after a romantic date night on a planet entirely devoted to autumn, he bumbled in, sure that she would pity him as Jake had and would patiently help him overcome his virginal ignorance as she had every other aspect of adjusting to this new life and body and universe.

“So earlier,” she began once they were alone in their cabin, “what did you want to talk to me about? Y’know, before the sunset and the hayride and everything?”

“Rose.” He took a deep breath and dove in, fumbling and anxious. “You know I love you. And not just as a friend. I love kissing you and being _together_ -together with you and being close to you.”

He stopped tugging his ear once he raised his eyes from the floor and saw her breathing rate had increased.

“Yeah? Go on.” She swallowed visibly.

He took her hands and led her to sit down on the bed next to him. He stroked her palms with his thumbs to calm himself as he continued.

“Being human has opened my eyes to something that I’ve felt for a long time but didn’t know what to do with. So I ignored it and sometimes that worked better than others, but the point is, now that certain things have changed, more things than just my physiology…”

He didn’t realize how tense he was until she soothed him with a stroke of her gentle fingers to his cheek.

“Hey, slow down. It’s ok. Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together, yeah? Like we always do.”

“Ah.” He darted his tongue out to wet his lips and noticed with delight that Rose’s eyes flicked down to watch its circuit. “That’s just the thing. There’s something that I’d like to change about the way it’s always been. Between us.”

“Oh?” She sat up straighter and returned her hands to her lap. His chased them, however, and interlocked his fingers with hers.

“You might have noticed it’s already been changing on its own. For a long time now we’ve been best mates but also something more. And you’re the best girlfriend a man could ask for, and I’ve tried to be a good boyfriend to you. Even when I have no idea what I’m doing. But the thing is, I don’t want to stop there. When we kiss, when we touch…” He rubbed the inside of her wrist, making her shiver. “I don’t want to have to back away anymore. I want you, Rose Tyler. All of you. Let me make love to you?”

“Yeah?” Astonished joy played out across her face.

“Would you want that too?”

“Yes!” she laughed. “God, yes. I’ve wanted you for so long, Doctor. I just didn’t think you’d ever want that with me.”

“Oh, I do. Very, _very_ much,” he emphasized, making her giggle again. But then he sobered. “But I have to be honest with you about something. Promise you won’t laugh?”

“Ohmygod, is it, like, alien?” She darted her eyes down to his lap for longer than was probably polite.

“No! No. Very much human.” He sniffed and puffed out his chest in a display of male ego recovery. “Though who knows, with a brain like mine, it’s probably better than what you’re used to. While I don’t know it for a proven fact, you have to admit that it’s a very likely possibility that a superior intellect could improve performance compared to previous samples.”

“Wait, what you do mean what I’m used to? What previous samples?”

The Doctor blinked. “That was not the question I thought you were going to ask.”

“What question was I supposed to ask then?” She furrowed her brow and replayed their conversation in her mind.

“Hold on, what do you mean ‘what previous samples?’”

Rose gave him a little smile and blushed as she confessed.

“I’ve never actually, uh, done _that_ with anyone.”

“But Mickey? Jimmy?” He had always assumed…

“Yeah, I mean, we got close to it, but never actually, you know.” Seeing his confusion, she continued. “The problem was, one night Jimmy was really drunk and he tried to talk me into it, kinda _forcefully_ , if you know what I mean… Anyway, Mickey overheard and stopped him, and they got in a fight. A big one. Then when Mickey and I were together, the ghost of that night just never really went away. I got scared of the thought of it, and he would get angry at Jimmy again, and it was just never right. I mean, we did other stuff, so I’m not completely, like, a nun or whatever, but I am still technically a… well…”

“You’re a virgin?”

Hearing that his voice wasn’t full of ridicule or disappointment, but pleased disbelief, she met his eyes and stopped picking at the quilt. She nodded, biting her lip.

“So am I!” he laughed. “Not just in this body either, any body!”

“What? 900 years and you’ve never?”

“Nope. You’re my first and only, Rose Tyler!” He grinned, then backtracked. “Well, I mean, that is if you want to. I’m not pressuring you in the least! Not at all! Only when you feel you’re ready and if not, that’s fine…”

Rose shook her head at his silliness and kissed him to shut him up.

“Already told you I wanted you, didn’t I? Still mean it. Even more now that I know it’s not just me who’s new to this. I just can’t believe we never talked about this.”

“Well, I wasn’t exactly an open book before.” His lips turned up in a self-deprecating smile. “And I just assumed you’d... with others.”

“Yeah, ‘s alright. Kinda a personal thing to know, even about your best mate.”

He nodded and shrugged. “So…”

“Yeah. Now what?” She laughed to fend off the oncoming awkwardness.

His eyes lit up as he remembered he had a plan.

“Now, I’m going to draw us a bath in this hot tub and you can go get whatever you need from the TARDIS, who is right in here.” As he talked, he stood and led her to the enclosed back porch.

“Oh, I hadn’t seen this part!” She took in the quaint porch with its screen door and rocking chairs and swing. “We’ll have to do breakfast out here in the morning!”

“Sounds perfect,” he agreed. They stepped into the TARDIS control room together, and he retrieved his pre-packed bag from where it had been stored under the console. She pecked a kiss to his lips before disappearing down the hall of their time ship with a little sway of her hips. She may be a virgin like him, he mused, but she sure as hell knew her powers of flirtation had no rival.

* * *

When she reached the TARDIS, the significance of the night caught up with her. She had purchased a little lace-and-silk number just in case the occasion ever presented itself, but she had to admit, it was more of a fantasy than any actual plan to wear it. Now she was shedding her dirty, hay-speckled pink and black outdoorsy outfit in favor of delicate crimson and cream.

She had been waiting so long that she never thought this day would come, or rather, she assumed it would happen someday, but probably by accident during one of their snogging sessions. The fact that he was no space playboy even in past regenerations warmed her heart and shamed her insecurities. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her like that after all.

He had explained about looms and such before, but she had never put two-and-two together that the fact that sex just wasn’t a priority or need for Time Lords included himself. But now that he was human, it was. She knew more than he probably thought she did about that. For example, in the middle of the long nights that she had awoken to the feel of him hard and wanting, pressed against her back. She always scooted away or snuck out of bed to the loo or something and he would roll over back to his side of the bed, but it didn’t matter; more than once she had ended up soaking through her knickers dreaming that he would kiss her awake, sneak his hand down to tug off her shorts…

She examined herself in the full-length mirror. The sight of herself in something so provocative made her blush. She had plenty of experience with snogging and dry humping and fooling around with clothes on, even upon occasion with _him_ in the last few months. She was certain he didn’t remember it now, but they had actually gotten each other off once not long after arriving back in this universe. It was late and dark in their flat while they snogged on the couch. And they were incredibly drunk. He had been testing his part-human limits, with her encouragement that she’d rather have him drunk alone with her than in public or at one of her mum’s galas or something. So they had gotten sloshed and she ended up in his lap and one thing led to another and they were coming in their pants together. They had both stretched out on the couch afterwards and just slept there for the night. Nine hours later, she’d woken to the smell of pancakes for brunch, which he knew to be her favorite hangover food. He didn’t mention anything that had happened between them, and things were still new (or, new again) between them, so she let him assume it was just a wet dream.

 But now she knew. He wanted this. Wanted her. And she was more than happy to hear it. If there was anyone she wanted to be her first (and last, as she meant it when she promised him forever), it was him. Her one and only. And she would be his.

She quite liked the sound of that.


	4. Crimson and Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> [](http://s280.photobucket.com/user/moonywrites/media/skylers%20graphic%203_zpshojkhtrj.gif.html)  
>    
> 
> 
> Image by @lunaseemoony
> 
> The Doctor and Rose take their physical relationship to the next level for the first time ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, finally, here’s the smut.  Teeeeny tiny blood trigger warning for obvious reasons.

After dropping her hastily packed overnight bag at the foot of the bed, she stepped into the bathroom just as he was turning off the water. The bubbles smelled delicious. He was down to his boxer shorts, assuming correctly that she would show up in much less clothing than she had left in.

It was the dumbfounded look on his face that truly thrilled her, though. Down to her toes.

“Like it?” she asked softly. She rubbed the crimson lace at the hem of the short cream silk top that the salesgirl had called a “babydoll.” Rose had never felt less like a baby in her life, however. The very adult look the Doctor was giving her made sure of that.

He swallowed and moved his mouth like a fish for a few moments until he could answer.

“Rose,” he exhaled. “You’re gorgeous.”

 “I already took my makeup off,” she explained unnecessarily. “Didn’t want to have to deal with it later. And brushed my teeth.”

“Me too,” he admitted. “While I was waiting.”

“Good, yeah.” She realized the bath was ready but neither of them were in it. “We should, um, before the water gets cold.” She stayed put, however, bringing up one hand to rub at her other arm.

“Right! Yes.” He noticed her hesitancy and moved close enough to wrap his arms around her. “Why don’t we start like this? Seems to work every other time we’ve started down this road.”

She stretched up on her toes, hands draped around the back of his neck, knowing what he was getting at. “Yeah, stick with what works.”

He pulled her in closer and pressed his lips against hers. Reliable as the tide, desire for him washed away her insecurity for the time being. The longer their snog went on, the more their hands wandered, slipping against each other’s skin the way their lips slipped against each other. One of his hands found its way back to her bum, picking up where it had left off before they exited the TARDIS that afternoon. The other snuck under the babydoll to stroke her back, side, and stomach, eventually continuing up to her breast. The crimson ribbon around the middle prevented him from reaching his target, however. They pulled away from their kiss at this interruption, and she nearly giggled at how his bottom lip pouted at the garment.

“Like this,” she explained and untied the ribbon, then slipped one strap off her shoulder, followed by the other. She made sure he was watching – with rapt attention, she noted – and let the silk slide off her body to the floor.

He was gaping again, and not even attempting to hide his fascination with what he saw. His hands were back on her once more, stroking up from her abs to her ribs to hover over her breasts.

“May I?” he asked. The question surprised her, but just as quickly, she realized it shouldn’t have. He was nothing like Jimmy or Mickey. He was completely different. Which is why her answer was and always would be yes: because he was the type to ask in the first place.

She bit her lip and looked up at him from where she had been watching his hands explore her.

“Please do,” she breathed. 

He didn’t move until she consented, but once he did touch her, it was with reverence and thoroughness, as if she was simultaneously his holy idol and a previously uncharted paradise. He wanted to catalogue every detail, she knew, but their bath would be long cold by then.

Flipping the control a bit, she decided to do some exploring of her own. She ran her fingers from the soft hair of his chest to the smooth muscles of his abs down, down, to his happy trail. He squeezed her nipple between his thumb and forefinger as she scrapped her nails lightly across the exposed skin just above his waistband.

“Time for these to come off?” she requested, failing to keep the husky need out of her voice.

 “Oh yes,” he murmured, leaning down to kiss and suck and nip at the junction of her neck and shoulder. She tilted her head to give him better access and let him mark her as she inched his boxers off his skinny hips.

“Mmmm.” Her lips spread wide in delight as she felt him already hard against her. Her hand explored lightly, tracing a path from his sensitive tip all the way around his girth and down to his balls. She couldn’t resist sneaking a peek. “You’re… you’re big. Sure this is going to fit inside me?”

 “Very, very sure,” he grunted as her fingertips teased him even harder.

Not that he wasn’t making a sizable bulge in his boxers before, but wow, it was a completely new buzz in her fuzzy aroused mind to have the evidence right in her hand of what she did to him. She alone, if he was to be believed. A delicious possessiveness overtook her and she wrapped her hand fully around him and tugged properly, with intention.

“Rose!” he squeaked. “Like I said, I’ve never, I’m so sensitive still, and your hand… _fuck_.”

The curse stunned her into stopping. She decided she liked it. It felt naughty in a very good way. Her hand resumed its mission, stroking and teasing and mapping him.

“Please, love, I can’t… I’m going to…”

“If you come now, can you do it again later?” she asked quietly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder as she stroked.

“Yeah, yeah, of course. But _now_ is becoming sooner and sooner.”

“Good. Just checking.” She smiled against his bare skin and began marking him the way he had her. “I want you to come for me now. That way we have a better chance of lasting when we’re together later.”

“Oh, clever Rose. My clever Rose,” he panted as her strokes and squeezing sped up. “Brilliant. This is… Please, love.”

It didn’t take long for her to figure out where to touch him when (the tip was particularly sensitive, she observed, spreading his leaking pre-cum with her thumb) and he was gripping her hips and grunting that he was close, so close, and to keep doing _that_.

She covered the head with her other hand as he came, keeping as much of his thick, white cum off of their bodies as possible. It wasn’t entirely successful, but helped. She rinsed her hand off as he recovered, resting heavily against the counter.

“That was amazing,” he finally got out. “But how do you still have clothes on?”

The “clothes” he was referring to were a pair of knickers matching the discarded babydoll, and they were wet enough to have a dark spot in the center. She blushed, but answered him as seductively as she could.

“They _are_ quite a mess after that. Perhaps I should just…” She watched him watch her as she slipped off the knickers and stepped out of them.

“Yes, that’s much better,” he rasped. “Into the water then?”

“Hope it’s still warm.”

Just in case, he retrieved his sonic from where it had been left on the counter and gave the bath a quick zap.

He stepped in first, then helped her in. He arranged them so that she sat between the v of his legs and could lean back against his chest. In turn, he leaned back against the tub.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Hmm?”

Instead of explaining, he reached over the side and pressed a hidden button. Tiny jets around the entirety of the tub came to life.

“Mmm, that’s good,” she hummed in appreciation. He answered the erotic sound by resuming his earlier kisses down her neck and shoulder. 

They relaxed for a long while, letting the water and jets wash away all the day’s adventures. Then his hand began moving from her knee, up her thigh, and inward. She tensed, catching on to his intention.

“Shhh,” he soothed. “Just relax, love.” He stroked up her inner thigh and back down.

“This alright?” he asked after a while.

“Yeah. It’s ok, you can go higher. Please.”

He smiled into her shoulder and obeyed. He ran his fingers through her small patch of curls, then inward to her folds. He explored slowly, once again letting them both get used to the destruction of years of carefully constructed barriers between them. He used his big Time Lord brain to memorize her with his touch, making special note of the moan she tried to hold back as he brushed her sensitive bundle of nerves.

“You know what I think?” she panted.

“Hm?” He was becoming drowsy in the post-orgasmic bliss of a warm bath with her.

“Bed,” she gasped as he circled her clit again.

“You always have the best ideas, love.” He withdrew his hand with all his willpower, and she stood and climbed out. He followed, barely remembering to drain the tub as he watched her dry off. She handed him a matching fluffy towel, both of them sharing a smile at how domestic the situation was. When they were both dry, he made sure she caught his wink before scooping her up bridal style.

She squealed, as expected, and giggled and held tight to the back of his neck. When they reached the bed, he plopped her in the middle and scurried to lay down beside her.

They lay on their sides, facing each other. He drew his hand up her bare body – from her flank to her hip to her abs to her breast – and back down.  She leaned in to peck a kiss to his lips and laid her hand on his chest, raking her nails slow and soft through his hair there.

An odd smile bloomed on her face as they lay in silence.

“What?” he finally asked.

“We’re _naked_ ,” she observed, reveling in the novelty.

“That we are.”

“I’m not as scared as I thought I would be.”

“Yeah?” He raised an eyebrow at her confession. “Me neither.”

“This is actually really fun!”  

“Well, you don’t have to sound so surprised,” he teased.

“Shut up,” she scolded and ensured it with a snog. As their lips crashed together over and over, things progressed more naturally, until there was no space left between their bodies. He rolled them so that he was over her, and their kiss resumed as soon as she was on her back. Their tongues danced, occupying any brain power that would otherwise have been devoted to nervousness.

She carded her fingers through his “really great hair,” as she had once called it. He practically purred against her mouth. When she did it again just to hear him make the sound, he decided it was time to even the playing field. With one arm supporting himself, the other was free to roam her body, and, as everyone knew, he took freedom very seriously indeed.

His wandering hand eventually ended up between her legs after adventuring all over her body within his reach. He shifted on the bed a bit, breaking off their snog, but that was a necessity anyway. He wanted to make sure he could see her expression, to know if he was causing her pain. He knew she was tough and stubborn and wouldn’t likely complain, but he knew she had a rubbish poker face and he needed to know he wasn’t hurting her. He asked all the same.

“Tell me if you want me to stop, ok?” She didn’t respond at first, only bit her lip in returned nervousness. “Rose, please, I need to know you will be honest with me. This part might hurt a bit, but promise you’ll stop me if it gets too much.”

“Yeah, I promise.”

He nodded and proceeded to cup her center. He increased the pressure of his hand, getting them both used to him touching her here, in the most intimate part of her body. He dragged his middle finger through her folds, happily picking up a bit of moisture along the way. He continued his ministrations, growing bolder and bolder as she grew wetter and wetter.

“Just relax now, love,” he whispered and dropped his head for a quick kiss. He pressed a fingertip inside her, then deeper, and deeper. He rotated it in increasing circles, watching her face as she winced but forced herself to relax. He brushed his thumb against where he guessed her clit was, and preened a bit when it was obvious from her little “ohhhh” of appreciation that he had guessed correctly. Her breathing sped up and he added a second finger, stretching and stroking and teasing to prepare her for what they both needed so desperately. He was so hard, harder than he’d ever been. His thumb slipped against her clit as he spread her wetness, making her moan in earnest now. He used the opportunity to spread his fingers even wider inside of her and thrust them in and out. Her mouth fell open in pleasure, and he worked her faster and faster.

“Please, Doctor, ohhhh god, yes,” she begged. “Don’ stop.”

“Come for me, Rose,” he murmured in his most velvety, low, sexy tone. “My precious girl. I want to see you. I’m right here. Just fall.”

Her eyes slammed shut as she came, coaxed to completion by his hand and his voice and the sensation of being utterly and completely adored by her lover.

“Wow.” She let out a breathy laugh as the tension in her body released, leaving her gratified but also wanting more.

“That was exquisite,” he informed her, in awe. “You are…”

“You did all the work,” she teased. “It’s you I should be praisin’.”

“Weeeeell.” He smirked. “Now that we’re even, there’s a way we can both express our mutual appreciation.”

She caught on to his game and donned her most innocent look possible in such a situation: naked under him, sticky with desire, and watching him lick her juices from his fingers.

“My, my, Doctor.” She batted her eyelashes and pouted her lips. “Whatever could you mean?”

He growled playfully and tickled her side, causing her to break character and pull him in for a deep, searing kiss. Her left hand grabbed at his bum while the other dug through his hair. (She was secretly determined to give him the sex hair he imitated with his messy styling every day.)  His cock pressed insistently against her lower stomach. He was already leaking pre-cum on her skin. She abandoned his hair for the moment to stroke his erection and down to his balls.

“Wait, wait!” He backed off suddenly and sat up.

“Was I going too fast?” She frowned in confusion.

“No! Exactly right. Brilliant. There’s just something I need to grab first before we…” He tilted his head to the bedstand where a box sat open and ready.

“Oh. Oh!” She sat up with wide eyes. “I forgot! I didn’t pack my pill, you know, for _this_. Completely left it in London.”

“Well, to be fair, you didn’t know you’d be getting lucky this weekend.” He winked, making her roll her eyes at his pride. “Good thing we’ve got these then, eh?” 

“Bloody good thing.” She nodded with more confidence than she felt. “Because I’m going to shag you tonight, Doctor. Like you’ve never been shagged before.”

They laughed lightly at her joke, but hearing the words aloud sent a thrill through both of them. He pulled out one of the silver squares with a flourish, as if he was pulling a rabbit out of a hat, and not a rubber out of a box. He ripped it open and yelped as a hot little hand wrapped around his cock.

“You were taking too long,” she explained. “Thought I’d help.”

He sent her an impressed look, but brushed her hand away so he could roll the condom down his length. She scooted down on the bed into a more comfortable position and he followed.

“Start with what we know,” she reminded him. He took her advice and met her lips with his, sucking on her bottom lip until she returned her hands to his hair and his bum. She parted her legs on instinct and his hand slipped down to find her center. He stroked as he had before, this time with more certainty and purpose. His fingers pushed in to stretch her one last time.

“This is it, Rose. I’ve wanted this for so long. Wanted you.” He aligned himself with her. “I love you more than anything or anyone. I’m yours. Forever.”

She lost herself in the sincerity written in his chocolate eyes. His tip brushed against her, and she squirmed with the new release of wetness against him.

“In, please, in. I’m ready,” she urged.

“I’m going to be a gentle as I can, but just tell me if it’s too much,” he warned again.

“Doctor, please!” She rocked her hips against his, eliciting a groan from deep in his chest. He held her hips as she guided him in, slowly, inch by thick, hard inch.

She whimpered in pain, but it wasn’t enough to tell him to stop. On the contrary, she felt like she might explode if he pulled out now. Her muscles held him tight within.

“Breathe, love,” he murmured and bowed his head to press a kiss to her temple.

She adjusted to him in time, and the pain of being stretched as she had never been before faded into pleasure like she had never known. She wrapped her legs around his hips, urging him to move. He took the hint. His thrusts were uncoordinated and awkward at first, but evened out so she could meet his rhythm. From the sounds he made, he seemed to like this very much.

“Feels so good,” Rose panted between strokes. “Love this. Love you.”

“Rose,” he groaned, holding out as long as he could. “Tell me what you want. What you need.”

“Touch me on my… where you did before.” He found it entirely endearing that he could be literally inside of her, making love to her at this very moment, and she still couldn’t bring herself to say “clit.”

What he didn’t know, and it’s a good thing he didn’t for the size of his ego, but with what he was doing to her, she could hardly think of the right word, much less say it coherently.

The little circles he made on her swollen bud while hitting her just right inside took the night to a whole new level for Rose. Her muscles fluttered and squeezed around him, such sweet agony, as he hastened her over the edge.

“So good, right there, yes!  So close,” she moaned. “I’m gonna… unh… ohhhhh!”

Her climax flooded her system, from her brain to her core to her toes and back up and all over. She registered that he was chanting her name as his thrusts hit her harder and faster and sloppier. She could tell he was close. There was something she could do about that.

“Come for me, Doctor. Come inside me. I want to feel you,” she urged between hot breaths and waves of pleasure. “I want to see you. So _fuckin’_ sexy.”

He let out a loud cry of ecstasy and did as she commanded. His orgasm was a lightning bolt of relief to his tight balls, his throbbing cock buried deep in her tight passage, slipping in and out with her wetness and the lubrication from the condom.

Her legs loosened from around his waist and dropped to the bed. He shakily lowered himself so he wasn’t crushing her, but stayed on top of her. Her hand, which had been hard at work on his sex hair, came down to his cheek to pull him in for a rough, insistent series of kisses that grew into deeper snogging as their heartrates lowered.

He eventually parted them so he could pull out of her and dispose of the condom.

“I’ll be right back,” she promised with one last peck to his lips as she headed to the bathroom to clean up. He stood in awe as he watched her leave, then shook his head to clear it. It would take a few days, however, before the refrain of “I shagged Rose Tyler” stopped bouncing around his big Time Lord brain, drowning out the rest of his thoughts.

“Ooooo. Right. So that’s why they call it a popped cherry,” he said to himself as he stared at the blanket on top of the bed where she had been lying. There wasn’t much blood from her broken hymen, but there was enough to leave a stain.

“Um, Doctor?” she called, just as he was stripping it from the bed. “Might want to check—”

“The quilt?” he asked through the bathroom door. “Yeah, I’m just going to chuck this in the TARDIS laundry. She’ll take care of it.”

Rose opened the door, once again in her cream silk and crimson lace lingerie.

“Might be a little cold without it tonight,” she remarked with a twinkle in her eye.

“We’ll just have to think of a way to stay warm.” He waggled his eyebrows, making her giggle. In a display of boldness, she spanked his bare bum as he walked away from her toward the porch with the quilt under one arm.

“Hey you with the nice arse!” she called. He turned back to face her with a surprised grin. She tossed him his boxer shorts, which he managed to catch with his free hand. “Might want to put those on before you go out there. It’s cold at night you know. And I rather like what you’ve got going on there. Think I want to keep it around.”

She gestured to his package, and he blushed but laughed. “Good to hear a positive review! It’s a big fan of you as well, so the feeling is mutual.”

He quickly slipped on the boxers and disappeared to the TARDIS, leaving her beaming at their silliness.

* * *

A few minutes later, he joined her back in bed, under the covers this time. He immediately embraced her and she snuggled into his body.

“Didn’t know I could be this happy,” she whispered into the night.

“Oh, my Rose, my sentiments exactly.” He kissed her hair.

“Thank you.” She pulled back and met his gaze with sincerity.

“No, thank _you_ ,” he smirked, trying to bring back her light smile, but it didn’t come. “What is it?”

“It’s probably silly. Never mind.” She buried her head back in his chest, but he was having none of it.

“It’s ok. Anything, Rose. You can tell me anything.” He stroked down her back and up again, over and over.

“When I said ‘thank you,’ I meant, well, Mum always said your virginity is a gift. A treasure to be given carefully. And I’m glad we got to have each other’s. Old fashioned rubbish, of course…”

“Oh, no, love,” he cut off her hedging with the same gentleness he had shown all night. “It’s not silly or rubbish at all. You’re right. You’ve given me a beautiful gift tonight, Rose. One I will always treasure until the end of our days.”

The smile he’d been fishing for earlier appeared now in full bloom.

“Yeah? Still on for that forever?”

 “As long as you’ll have me,” he confirmed, hope radiating throughout his every cell.

“Forever, then.”

He kissed her long and sensuous and slow, until they cuddled close and drifted off together into the best sleep they’d had in years.


	5. The Perfection of Pumpkin Pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> [](http://s280.photobucket.com/user/moonywrites/media/skylers%20graphic%203_zpshojkhtrj.gif.html)  
>   
> 
> 
> Image by @lunaseemoony
> 
> The morning after...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter prompted by Fall Fic Fest’s Outdoor Fall Activities. An outdoor breakfast counts, right?  
> And we have reached the end of our little adventure this weekend! Hope you enjoyed it!

Rose awoke the next morning with him curled up behind her, as she had so many times before, only this time there was no shame in enjoying his morning erection behind her. Their bodies were closer than previous mornings anyway, no more barriers or fear between their caution and their physical relationship.

She turned over in his arms and found him blinking sleepily at her.

It was the most content she’d ever seen him. In stark contrast to his usual manic bouncing and all the running they did in their lives together and his babbling gob, here he was in bed with her, half-naked and so completely at peace.

“Hello,” she said softly, still in awe as the reality of the previous night came back to her.

“Mmm. Good morning, beautiful.” It was embarrassing how high her heart lept at his words, so gravely and sexy and with that eyelid drooping the way it did when he wasn’t all the way awake.

“Hey guess what?” She bit back a grin and lazily rubbed his bare back, enjoying the feel of his skin and the freedom it signified.

“Hm?”

“We had _sex_.” The delightful notion that this was not all just a dream after all played across her face, plain for him to read. 

“Rose Tyler, what we did was nothing short of _making love_.”

His cocky smirk needed to be wiped off his face for his own good. So she used her lips to remove it. Her methods were rather impractical, as this only made it reappear as an even more lovesick version of its previous edition when they parted. She realized she didn’t mind as she was wearing a dopey grin of her own.

“We’ve got a couple of options for breakfast.” He brushed his fingers lightly through her hair, admiring the way the sunlight streaming in from the cabin’s window played upon its honey gold. “There are a variety of pumpkin pastries at the café in town. Or, we’re up early enough for the group morning hike, which includes a full English at the end. Or…”

“Or?” She raised her eyebrows, knowing that whatever came next was his actual plan for the morning.

“I can make you pumpkin pancakes in the TARDIS galley. Complete with whipped cream, of course.”

“Someone’s feeling sweet this morning. In multiple senses of the word.”

“Feeling inspired. After such a perfect night.” His hand slid down her shoulder and over her curves.

She sighed in happiness and brushed a fallen strand of unruly brown from his forehead. She indulged herself with strokes through his hair.

“Rose? It was good for you, right?”

She rushed to erase his insecurity.

“Yes!” she confirmed a bit too enthusiastically. She blushed and started over. She dipped her gaze down and back up, this time with a soft flutter of her eyelashes. “Yes. You were…. Perfect. And you know what? I’ve heard first times are just the start. All of the awkward and messy stuff and getting to know each other physically in a new way, in time it goes away and it gets better and better. That’s what people say, at least.” She half-shrugged and sent him a lustful gaze that indicated she would very much like to find out for herself.

“So you’re saying practice makes perfect?” He let his eyes wander to the outline of her body beneath the sheet.

“But first, pancakes, Mister. You promised.” She poked his chest, and he bounced out of bed, his usual energy back in full form.

After they dressed in comfy jimjam bottoms and soft T-shirts, they raced each other to the TARDIS’s galley. It was unclear who won as the race ended in an impromptu kiss against the refrigerator. They fixed the pancakes together, Rose sitting on the counter stirring the batter while the Doctor flipped them with Time Lord precision, exactly the right amount of cooking on each side. They topped them with cinnamon and a dollop of whipped cream, deciding that it was a morning to celebrate. They each grabbed their favorite mugs as well and filled them with a coffee that paired flawlessly with the pumpkin and cinnamon.

Since they had their hands full, the TARDIS opened her doors to the porch for them, and the couple stepped out into the ethereal atmosphere of early mornings in autumn. They settled into the rocking chairs, with a small wooden table beside them, and watched the silver mist retreat across the valley and into the forest.

Steam swirled up from their mugs, which they held with both hands, sending flirtatious looks to each other over the rims as they waited for their coffee to cool just enough to drink.

“Do you feel different?” Rose asked.

“In what way?”

“You know, now that you’re not, well, now that we’ve…” She was beginning to regret even asking when he caught on and finished for her.

“Ah. Now that I’m not a virgin anymore?” He pondered the question, scrunching his brow at the foliage in the distance. “It’s not so much about that, but more about you.”

He turned his head to face her to say this bit so she could see he meant it.  

“For Time Lords, it just wasn’t as big of a deal as you humans make of it, so it’s not so much about a rite of passage for me personally, but it does matter – so much more than all that – because it was with you. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, it does.”

“And you? Do you feel different, since you asked?”

She thought it over, wanting to be honest but also not quite sure what she felt.

“Yes and no. I kind of built it up to be this huge thing, especially because most of my friends did it when we were teenagers, so I’ve had a long time to think about it.” She laughed and shook her head. “Kind of like when you have a birthday, people ask ‘oh, do you feel 24?’ or whatever, and it’s like, ‘uhhh… I was 23 only yesterday,’ you know? So not really. But in other ways, yes. For one, I’m a little sore, which is to be expected and should improve with regular activity…” He winked, but she continued. “Two, I now know why the world is so obsessed with it. Three, like you said. It was with you. And it wouldn’t have mattered if I had slept with a dozen guys before. It was special because it was the first time for us, and I’ll always remember this trip and this planet.”

“Where it all changed,” he mused.

“Maybe we’ll make it our special place,” she suggested.

“Come back here every year? On our sexiversary?” He waggled his eyebrows to make her laugh.

“Oh god, we are not calling it that!” she giggled. “But in theory, yes.”

“It’s a date!” He drained the rest of his mug and collected their plates. “C’mon, we’ve got a pumpkin patch to explore! And costumes to make for the haunted Halloween parade!”

“Wait, what’s that about costumes?” she called after him as he entered the TARDIS. She hopped up from her chair and darted after him. “Doctor? Doctor! What do ya mean _haunted_ parade?!”

 

* * *

THE END


End file.
